Recently we were invited to consider the possible cruelty of catch and release fishing. One of our school agreements is that we will have respect for the environment. There is the possibility that fish experience the beginnings of suffocation as we struggle to unhook them. The possibility exists that our handling of them interferes with their protective covering. Do they feel pain from the barbed hook? Rather than making a decision on this I presented the concern to our HIVE. The HIVE is our democratic meeting where we discuss topics and try to come to consensus when action needs to be taken. We are now three weeks into the process of this discussion. The students have been challenged to find out the facts so we can make an informed decision. It has helped us bring light to the difference between fact and opinion. We are looking at unsubstantiated claims vs. factual information. I love this process and what it asks of our children. For now we have put fishing on hold during our Nature Literacy time. Every time one door closes, others open, so there is a new interest in hanging out in the creek and playing with mud and sticks. It also helps that we are using Nature Lit time to walk the goats in the woods. Yesterday we learned that they like to race. Who knew?